Dante and the Girl Next Door
by AvatarofBahamut
Summary: (DISCONTINUED) Dante is hired by Robert Cole to stop his brother from summoning a powerful Demon Lord. Part of his job is protecting a girl from being used in his bloody ritual. Lady also becomes involved, since Dante still owes her money. Dante/OC
1. Dante

AvatarofBahamut (LittleBlackDragon on Deviantart) Presents

Dante and the Girl Next Door: A Devil May Cry Fanfiction

_This fanfiction has been rated T for teen by the author. It contains action and fantasy violence, occasional descriptions of blood, brief mild profane language, and sexually suggestive dialogue or situations. _

_As with many fanfictions, the author does not own any of the original Devil May Cry Games, books, manga, anime series, or any characters from any of these that are used._

_Enjoy! Feedback is always welcome._

**Chapter One: Dante**

Patty set her broom and dustpan back in the closet in the back of the room and dusted off her pink apron. Light from the afternoon sun was filtering in through the frosted glass windows, pouring over the wooden floor. She untied her curly blonde hair, then folded up her apron neatly and placed it in her backpack. The little girl looked down at her white polo and pink skirt and noticed a gray smudge across her sleeve. Her bright azure eyes widened in dismay.

"Oh…I got dust on my clothes! My mom just bought this outfit for me from Aeropostale!"

"It's no big deal, that stuff washes off anyway, doesn't it? If that's the worst thing that you have to deal with, you're in good shape."

She saw Dante across the room, reclining in a chair with his feet on his desk and a magazine draped over his face. He was in his usual outfit consisting of a black form-fitting long-sleeved shirt, a scarlet buckled vest, and similarly shaded pants with a black belt and leather straps around one leg. His boots came just below his knees with decorative straps around the rim.

"I'd argue with you, but I have to leave now so I can go work on my homework with my friend Alicia."

It had been a month or so since Patty had been reunited with her mother. Until then, Dante had been looking after her as an orphan since her mother had been missing and she had no other family to speak of. The two of them wound up staying in the same town but in a neighborhood on the opposite end. Last week school had started for the year so she only stopped by every now and then.

The truth was she missed hanging around the office of Devil May Cry and even though Dante would never admit it, he appreciated her company. He was happy to see her with her mom again but when she had originally left it hit him hard having to get used to not seeing the little girl in his office almost every day.

"Yeah, yeah, ok…You go do that, then."

Devil May Cry was a quaint place. The main room where the office was had a surprising amount of space. Dante's desk was relatively free of papers since he his them in his desk drawers but he had a phone and a photograph of his mother off to one side. There were two fairly worn red couches, a rug and table, a TV, a fridge, and an audio set underneath the stairs that lead to the roof.

He had what appeared to be a pelt mounted behind his desk as well as a collection of swords, firearms, and other weaponry. Off to the side a door leading to his private living space and near the main entrance was a vintage, brightly colored jukebox.

Patty grabbed her backpack and started to head out the door when Dante's agent opened the door and walked in, tossing the cigarette he was smoking into the trash nearby.

"Oh, hey there Morrison!" She greeted him before taking her leave. He nodded to her and turned his attention to Dante.

"Napping as always, I see?"

"Not anymore. Let me guess, this is about a job, right?"

"What else would it be? I told you about it over the phone last night, remember? The client is on his way over right now; he insisted on coming to your office to meet with you."

Morrison was a middle-aged man with combed back light brown hair, dark eyes, and a thick mustache. He wore a grey fedora and matching long coat over his suit, which consisted of a white shirt, a purple vest, and slacks with a nice pair of shoes.

Dante removed his feet from his desk and sat up straight as he heard the sound of a car pulling up and parking just outside of his office.

"I take it that would be the client, then?"

The magazine fell from his face and hit the desk, revealing the cool expression on his face. Dante's brushed down silvery white hair fell in front of his steel blue eyes, which were fixed on the door as he heard the sound of a car trunk opening and then slamming shut.

Morrison opened the door and a young man in an automated wheelchair wearing sunglasses entered in carrying a briefcase in his lap.

"So, you must be Dante," he spoke in a cordial tone, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Robert Cole."

He hesitated.

The man was in his late twenties, with a slight tan, shaggy black hair, and olive-green eyes hidden behind his dark shades. He wore a navy suit without a tie and a comfortable pair of loafers.

"It didn't sound like it at first when Mr. Cole started to tell me his story, but when he mentioned demons I knew this would be up your alley and I recommended you."

"I know most people wouldn't believe me if I told them. But I heard a rumor there was a devil hunter of near legendary skill in this city that ran a business called Devil May Cry. So I called Morrison to see if he could arrange for me to meet with you."

"And how did you hear a rumor like that? Most people don't know what I actually do for a living." Dante folded up his magazine and set if off to the side.

"I may be in a wheelchair, but I get around. Besides, if you were in a situation such as mine, you be willing to dig a little deeper than normal to find help," Robert explained, "I wasn't sure at first but your agent assures me I can trust you to do your job well."

"You say the job involves demons? You've got my attention. What do you want me to do?" Dante kept his eyes on Robert, whose expression became riddled with anxiety.

"Please, allow me to explain my situation first…before anything else…I find it will fully cover what I am asking for," He took a deep breath, "It's a little more complicated than you might imagine…or not. I don't know. But…it all started because of my older brother, Richard."

Robert held onto his briefcase tightly.

"My brother has always been the kind to hold a grudge, but I never imagined he would go as far as to dabble in black magic and summon demons to this world to enact his vengeance upon people he thinks did him wrong.

Richard had eight people murdered by demons and their corpses stolen. I went to confront him on his streak of revenge and only then I learned he had other reasons for doing what he did…"

"When you told me this story earlier you said he told you he was planning to summon a powerful demon lord using the corpses as part of the ritual," Morrison cut in, "But you left your story at that. Still, I can't help but feel that wasn't the whole story, or was it?"

"No…I wanted you and Dante both to hear this."

"So…you want me to stop your brother from summoning this…demon lord? And take out the other demons he summoned, I take it."

"Yes. That is part of it. But, my brother said in order to complete the ritual and persuade the demon lord to his will he required a LIVE sacrifice in addition to the corpses he collected."

"I highly doubt a human can persuade a demon lord to do anything…not in most cases."

"That's not the point! He planning to have an innocent person killed in one of the most horrible ways imaginable! He plans to have them eaten alive by a demon…in order to punish me."

"So you're his final target, the person he wants to take revenge on the most. Otherwise he would have tried to add you to the list of corpses."

"Perhaps," Robert paused, "Actually, I have no doubt in my mind. Ever since we were kids he hated how I seemed to be the more gifted and blessed of the two of us. I was the most successful, and our parents doted on me more because I was the younger brother…and of course, it became even more so after I became paralyzed. It was due to a spinal injury I received from being hit by a car when I was fifteen years old."

He set down the briefcase and folded his hands.

"But," He added, "That wasn't what sent my brother over the edge, I think. We were both in love with the same woman, and in the end I was the one she chose to marry. He feels like everything he wanted I took from him. And now, he wants to make me suffer by taking something from me…But, the last thing he said to me the day I confronted him…was that if he were to kill me, I would not suffer the way he wanted me to. He wanted me to live and watch helplessly as something precious to me would be devoured."

He looked up at the devil hunter.

"Dante, I know I might be asking a lot of you. I do want you to get rid of the demons he's already summoned and try to stop him. However, part of stopping him will include preventing him from obtaining his live sacrifice…that precious something to me…I want you to protect that precious something…rather…SOMEONE."

Robert reached inside his pocket and pulled out a photograph of a girl just shy of twenty years old. He sighed.

"At first I worried my wife, Octavia, was the one he was after. But, I know my brother better than anyone and he wouldn't give up something he himself valued so much. No, he would be losing her a second time in his mind.

He had someone else in mind. She's a close friend of mine and my wife as well. I've known her since she was a baby and have come to treat her like family. And Richard knew she was such to me…which is why I'm almost positive she's the one in danger! "

He handed the photograph to Dante, who studied it carefully. Dante looked out the window and back at Robert with a serious expression.

"I've met this girl once before."

"You have? I suppose… She lives in the apartment building across the street from here. I was rather surprised when Morrison told me where your office was. She's never said anything to me though…"

Robert breathed heavily.

"She probably has no idea what's really going on…I've hardly told her anything at all…But she'll have to know if I want to keep her alive.

Please, Dante! Act as her bodyguard until you can find a way to stop Richard!"

He picked up his briefcase again and opened it, revealing that the interior was packed with bundles of hundred-dollar bills.

"As you can surely tell…I'm desperate for this madness to end…If you're not sure if you want the job, I'm willing to pay you part of your fee up front…and expenses should you incur any."

"Mr. Cole runs a successful advertising company that's based here in town. He's assured me that money and payment wouldn't be an issue." Morrison took the case after Robert closed it and handed it to him.

Dante smirked.

"You're being awfully generous…you really must be desperate."

"Yes I am. I also know I probably explained more than I needed too." Robert let out a nervous laugh.

"You do seem to talk a lot."

"It's a part of my profession…it has a tendency to sneak into other things as well."

Dante nodded. There was a pause before he spoke.

"I'll take the job."

Robert trembled a bit but quickly worked to regain his composure. Dante didn't want to say it, but he had been interested in the job before Robert gave his elaborate backstory to the situation. However, his story also aroused Dante's interest.

Morrison stood up with the briefcase of money in hand.

"I…I can't thank you enough, really." Robert replied shakily.

"In that case, we'll take the upfront payment you've so generously offered," Morrison said, tapping the briefcase, "However, I will be holding onto this until Dante finishes this job, on the condition that it is done RIGHT."

Dante's expression grew embittered.

"Hey, Dante. He said he's willing to pay expenses. You're always complaining about clients leaving you bills instead of a paycheck… if you do this job well you might actually have a paycheck for once…"

"Oh my…that doesn't sound too good." Robert mused, "But, if you are as good as I have heard, then I'm sure it'll be worth the trouble."

Robert thanked him again and Morrison prepared to head out to his car with the briefcase. After a few minutes he came back in and sat on the couch, picking a cigarette from his pocket. Robert finally let out a sigh.

"Wonderful! You can start by picking up my friend tonight and escorting her to my family estate. I live across town so it'll be a short drive for you."

As he turned around to leave, Morrison quickly got up and opened the door for him.

"But please…do me a favor? Don't talk to her about what's going on until after you're on the road. I don't want the people at the museum getting freaked out…or giving my brother an excuse to add more bodies to his list of carnage."

He left to get himself into his car and Morrison closed the door behind him.

"I did some investigating of my own. There's been a rumor about a man in a suit running around the city pier with a band of demons. From what I've been able to dig up and from what Mr. Cole has told me the description of the man matches his brother Richard."

The afternoon sun was starting to drift behind the trees as evening was soon to set in. Dante grabbed his red coat and his favorite weapons. One was a large sword with a skull engraved in the handle, named Rebellion. His other choice weapons were a pair of forty-five caliber custom pistols, one black and one white, named Ebony and Ivory.

"So, you think I should investigate before I go get the girl?"

"He said part of your job was wiping out the lesser demons under his brother."

"Well, then, I guess it's showtime!"

**To Be Continued**


	2. Party Crashers

**Chapter Two: Party Crashers**

Lady cautiously scouted the western end of the city pier with her pistol at the ready. The smell of seawater wafted through the air. She could hear footsteps and what sounded like the cry of a large animal. But, it was no animal she was hunting for.

A ship captain had come to her after a couple of his sailors were brutally murdered. He didn't know what to make of it until he was attacked by a group of demons. He thought he was done for, but then the demons suddenly fled with the bodies of his dead shipmates. He told her the last thing he saw was a man in a suit leading them. The man had turned over and sneered at him. The captain had scrambled away and had come to her asking Lady to find the demons who murdered the two men and kill them.

He had wondered about the man in the suit, and how it was he was still alive. Lady had soon gotten rumors of this group operating not far from where the two sailors were killed. All that concerned her now was finding them and finishing the job.

She was a fairly tall woman in her twenties. Her short raven hair slightly waved around her head. Lady wore her usual outfit consisting of a loose white short, navy shorts, and combat boots. But, her eyes were her most distinguishing feature, each a different color, one red and one blue.

After turning a corner, she saw shadows shifting nearby and hid behind a large metal crate. A group of demons that resembled some horrible hybrid of a condor and a starved leper were patrolling down the walkway, their eyes ablaze with a reddish glow. They wore long black cloaks with hoods and carried scythes.

Before she could act, she heard another pair of footsteps approach the demons. One of them screeched and turned away from the crate Lady was hiding behind.

"I didn't think I'd find you guys so easily. You're not that good at keeping a low profile, are you?"

Lady recognized the voice of Dante as the demon who had its back to her charged forward, the other demons banning together into a stampede, bearing their scythes. She saw the devil hunter jump from the shadows and begin to hail them with bullets. His expression was smug as several of them immediately fell to the ground and were stone dead after a few shots.

As Dante landed, one of the fiends swung at him, slashing his cheek. Blood trickled down his face but the wound started to heal right away as Dante tripped the demon and withdrew his guns. He drew his sword and swung back, rending his enemy.

Those remaining continued to gang up on him without relenting.

Lady put away her pistol and grabbed the missile launcher that she had slung over her back, with the name Kalina Ann engraved on its side. One of them heard the noise and hissed, deviating from the rest of the group and charging towards the crate. She had no choice but to leap from behind and fire.

The projectile rammed into the creature before exploding. When the smoke cleared, the gang of demons were strewn around, dead and defeated.

"Hey, how about giving me a warning next time?"

Dante sheathed his sword. Lady lowered her weapon flipped her hair back.

"Don't get the wrong idea here, Dante. I have a job to do which includes taking out these demons. What are you doing here, anyway?"

Dante shrugged.

"That's a funny coincidence. Someone hired me to do the same thing."

"The ship captain didn't trust me enough so he hired someone else, too?"

"Ship Captain? Nah, I was hired by someone else. His brother is most likely involved with the demons that have been scouring around here as of late."

Lady paused.

"Ah, I take it you're referring to a man in a suit? The ship captain who asked me to kill the demons said he saw a man in a business suit leading the demons."

Dante smirked.

"So you've heard the rumor, then?"

Dante caught the sound of hissing and whining just barely audible in the air. He took out his guns again and turned in the direction of the noise.

"I think there might be more of them this way…you can come of you like."

Lady put her missile launcher back and took out her shotgun again. She nodded.

"Like I said, I have a job to do."

Dante and Lady had known each other for a number of years. The two of them were well aware that the job would be almost too easy if they worked together. They had teamed up before so they were aware of one another's skill and also some of their pitfalls.

"So, are you going to pay me back some of the money you owe me when you get paid?"

The two of them started to head down a narrow gap between a pair of warehouses. The noise grew louder and became audible to Lady.

"Business as always, I see. You know that I'm starting to lose track because of all the debt I tend to accumulate. But, with any luck I'll actually get decent pay from this job."

"Oh! So you might actually pay me instead of me having to take it from you in a game of poker? Well, that might be a nice change of pace considering how much you suck at gambling. Still…I enjoy knowing how easy it is for me to beat you."

She smiled as she saw more demons congregating outside one old abandoned warehouse. The light blue paint was peeling off the exterior and the walls seemed to shake as demons streamed inside. They hid behind a stack of smaller wooden crates and peered around to observe them.

"You know me. It's because I'm nice to the women when I play."

Lady noticed the edge of a photograph sticking out of Dante's pocket.

"What's the picture for?"

"My client also asked me to look after a friend of his."

When the demons has finished gathering inside, it was time for the devil hunters to make their move.

"A friend, eh?"

"That's what he told me."

Lady smirked. The two of them busted the door down and were immediately swarmed upon by demons, flocking together like a murder of crows. They met them with rounds of bullets as they plowed through them.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to be discovered so soon."

They managed to finish off the hoard in a matter of minutes, with demon blood staining their clothes. Lady heard the sound of someone clapping and pointed her gun.

"Show yourself!"

In the back of the warehouse several more demons were lifting and carrying various objects including several candles and a table. Dante saw that eight of them were carrying bodies encased in clear glass coffins with red silk lining the bottom.

"So, who might you be? A couple of devil hunters?"

The demons hastily retreated with a few others covering their withdrawal. Dante and Lady tried to shoot at them but were blocked by another group that took the shots.

"Sorry, but I'm keeping these, I need them you see, to complete my ritual. But, more importantly, to complete my retribution."

After several more minutes they defeated the demons that came between them and the others. But the group slithering away with the coffins had managed to escape and were nowhere in sight.

"By the time you get out the door, they will be long gone, I have assured this."

Out of the shadows emerged a man wearing a dark grey suit with a red tie. He adjusted the collar of his white shirt and combed back his wavy black hair, silvery sideburns curling around his head. His eyes were pale green and held a sinister glint.

The Bostonian shoes he wore made a tapping sound along the ground as he walked. He finally came to stand in the middle of the room with a condor-headed demon on either side of him, smiling sardonically at Dante and Lady.

"I am…"

"Richard Cole, right? Please, let's skip the introductions…" Dante pointed each gun at the demonic escorts. The man sneered, stroking his clean-shaven chin. Just then, one of the demons next to him emitted a faint growl and hissed.

"So, I see you've heard of me."

"He reeks of …the scent of Sparda…" The demon snarled.

"Sparda?"

Richard wasn't sure what to make of this. He had heard from the demons he summoned and through his research of a demon lord by that name. Sparda was a name held in infamy in the demon world and revered by humans who knew of him.

"Then you must be Dante, his son. One of two born from the union of Sparda and a human woman…" The demon turned to Richard, keeping one eye fixed on Dante.

"We must leave," The demon urged him, "Many demons have tried to slay this one and have failed. And the woman…I've heard of her as well. If we try to fight them now before we have the aid of my master, we shall surely meet a similar fate."

"Indeed, our goal is to call Aradax to this world."

Richard snickered.

"My friend Gherid is right, I'm afraid our meeting will have to be cut short. But, I must say…if someone like you is meddling in my affairs that can only mean one thing. My little brother hired you, didn't he?"

Lady had her gun ready to fire at his demonic escorts. Richard shook his head mockingly.

"If that's the case, then you shouldn't be wasting any more of your time around here. After all, wasn't there a young woman my brother wanted you to look after?"

He turned around and began to walk away with one of his escorts following him. He tilted his head back.

"You'd better hurry before the devil I conjured gets to her first."

He turned his gaze to Lady.

"And as for you…I suggest you not continue involving yourself in this unless you want to be counted among the bodies to be sacrificed to Aradax."

An escort conjured up a black smoke and Richard vanished, as well as the two demons. Lady withdrew her gun.

"Well, that guy seems like one stuck-up son of a bitch, doesn't he?"

Dante also put away his weapons after making sure no demons were waiting to ambush the two of them.

"You should go. You have your job to do. I have to stay here and scout the rest of the pier to make sure none of these demons are left before I can go and collect my pay."

Dante nodded and turned to leave.

"It's funny neither of you referred to the girl by name…"

"Didn't need to."

Lady and Dante left the warehouse and prepared to go their separate ways.

"In case you're curious, the girl's name is Jeanne."

"…Jeanne, huh? Just so you know, Dante," Lady switched out her missile launcher, "You might see me again before this job is over."

"I can't give you any money before I get paid."

"That's not what I meant," She sighed, "Anyways, I'll see you around."

Dante ran back a couple of blocks and jumped in his red car before heading off to the museum. He had originally planned to take his motorcycle, but Morrison told him the client preferred that he pick up Jeanne in a car, if he had one of his own. It wasn't in the best of shape on the outside but it worked.

He stepped on the gas and went speeding away. Dante sighed and made his way back onto the main road.

…

Several weeks ago, Dante was sitting at the bar in Restaurant Fredi, a retro style diner he often went to in order to get his strawberry sundae fix. He heard the door open and the laughter of a woman.

Fredi, the owner, already had the sundae ready and waiting for him since Dante was such a frequent customer. He was an older, stout gentleman with chestnut brown hair and a mustache, wearing a red vest and a vintage pair of gray slacks and a white shirt.

"I had a hunch you'd be coming in sometime today."

A couple of women sat down at the bar a few seats down from him. He glanced over briefly before taking a bite of his sundae.

"What can I get for you two ladies?" Fredi asked the two women.

"Oh…can you give me a minute? I'm not sure, everything looks so yummy," replied the first woman, giggling and cocking her head to one side as she looked at the menu with delight in her sparkling hazel eyes.

She was a very tall, curvaceous woman in her middle to late twenties wearing a uniform that consisted of a black blazer, pencil skirt, and cream-colored blouse with nylon stockings and dainty leather shoes. A decorated rose pin rested on the collar of her blazer with the letters 'CMA' engraved into them.

She brushed her long, curly sapphire hair away from her face.

Fredi nodded.

"Are you ready to order, miss?"

The second woman was a brunette wearing the exact same uniform as the first but appeared to be younger than her, about twenty. She was much shorter than her companion and not as well-endowed. She kept her dark hair tied back in a bun and her cornflower blue eyes were hidden behind a pair of glasses.

At first she seemed unaware that she had been spoken to.

"Jeanne? Do you know what to want?" The older woman poked her. The younger woman's face flushed pale pink for a second or two.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I'll have…"

She looked over at Dante and quickly turned her gaze away.

"I would like a strawberry sundae…please."

Her friend giggled.

"Sure thing," Fredi replied cordially and called to the back to have the sundae prepared. The older woman leaned in slightly to the younger one.

"Feeling homesick? Are you sure you don't want something a little more 'grown up'?" She asked jestingly. The younger woman's face turned bright pink and she averted her gaze. When she didn't respond the older woman sighed.

"Come on, Jeanne, I was just teasing you. I'm trying to get you to talk…loosen up a bit," She then noticed Dante out of the corner of her eye and noticed her companion looking in his direction when he wasn't watching. When his eyes traveled back to the two of them, she quickly looked away.

"Oh my, I see!" The older woman smiled, raised her eyebrows, and lowered her voice.

"He's a head turner, isn't he? I wouldn't have guessed you had such a good taste for eye candy." She titled her head over and took another look at Dante.

"Why don't you say hello?"

Fredi brought out the sundae and handed the woman a napkin. An idea started to form in the older woman's head.

"Enjoy."

"…Th-thank you."

"Excuse me," She leaned in front of her friend and smiled at Dante, "Can you tell me if the sundaes here are any good?"

Dante had almost finished his.

"I'm quite fond of the strawberry sundaes here myself," He smirked, "But why don't you try it for yourself?"

"I think I will," She replied, "What do you think Jeanne?"

Her companion had taken a few bites from her dessert. She managed a small smile that quickly faded.

"It's really good, Maria. …You…You should get one."

She saw her looking at Dante again, but this time Dante caught her gaze. Her face turned a deeper, reddish hue and she turned her head downward, staring at her sundae anxiously. The older woman let out a stifled laugh.

"Oh, your such a yutz, you poor thing."

She composed herself before speaking to Dante again.

"You'll have to forgive my friend, she's shy. But, I can tell by the way she's blushing that she thinks you're awfully cute."

"Maria, ...s-stop it, please. You're embarrassing me." Her friend begged her in a hushed tone of voice. However, she ignored her and continued to talk to Dante.

"The name is Maria Devito, by the way," She said, "And this one here is Jeanne Larson."

"Dante," He introduced himself. He noticed Jeanne was starting to quiver.

"I think you might be making your friend here a little too uncomfortable."

Maria saw Jeanne had almost frozen in place, staring at her sundae nervously and her face still red. She shook her head.

"Oh, I knew you were shy…but I had no idea it was that painful for you. I'm so sorry."

She suddenly had an impulse to go wash her hands and excuse herself, leaving Jeanne with Dante. She took a few more bites of her sundae.

"I'm sorry this is so awkward," She apologized hesitantly, "I…I'm not too good with new people and places. I just moved here from out of town."

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong," Dante replied nonchalantly.

She was quiet for a long time before she got up the courage to speak to him again.

"Actually, the reason I noticed you is because I've seen you before," She started to speak more smoothly and with ease, "Do you happen to work at a place called Devil May Cry?"

"Yeah, that's my office. How did you know?"

"I don't live that far from it," She managed a smile again, "I see you coming and going sometimes when I leave or get back from work."

It was how he met Jeanne, and the only time before Robert Cole came to him that he had spoken to her even though they lived so close. And now their paths were about to cross again.

**To Be Continued**


	3. Dusk

**Chapter Three: Dusk**

"May I have your attention, please! The museum will be closing in eight minutes! Please begin to make your way to the exit and we hope you enjoyed your visit. Have a wonderful evening."

It was almost nine at night. It was drizzling, casting a grey shadow over the Capulet Museum of Art. The room echoed with the din of feet racing across the floor and people conversing with one another as they took one last look before leaving.

Maria tapped her foot as she stood at the front desk watching the last visitors go out the door. The main entrance was usually a room brilliantly lit by sunlight that came through the glass walls, but with the sky overcast only a few overhead lamps lit the vast space.

"I'll go help Ms. Larson and Director Blackstone check the galleries to see if anyone's still wandering around," Her co-worker Lucian stood up from the desk, brushing back his wavy blonde hair.

"Ok. I'll be here," Maria replied quickly as she organized the papers that were spread around. She looked and saw him walk away, briefly looking at her with his sparkly blue eyes. He was a vision of youth even though he was older than her, but he was a very serious and studious man. He wore a black suit with a rose pin like most other museum employees. In some ways his appearance and temper reminded Maria of her husband at home, and it made her smile.

She peered at the cellphone sticking out of the pocket in her skirt and thought about calling him. Then, she heard the delighted squeal of a child and looked in back of her.

"Thank you for coming." She heard Jeanne's voice and that of an older woman. Sure enough, one of the gallery doors opened and Jeanne walked out, showing a mother and child to the exit.

"You're right at home here, aren't you?" Maria beamed at her young friend.

"You could say that," The intern replied, "Say, where's Mr. Townsend?"

"Oh, Lucian wanted to help you and the Director check for anyone who hasn't left yet."

"I see. Well, I've checked my wing and put all the audio tours away. And I saw Mr. Blackstone upstairs checking the galleries there."

Jeanne looked through the clear glass door to see the Director making his way down the stairs. He briefly waved at the two women before proceeding down a flight of stairs to the lower level galleries.

"So, do you have any plans for the weekend, Jeanne?"

Jeanne sat down in Lucian's chair and looked out at the steady rainfall.

"Actually, I do."

Maria giggled.

"Oh, that's wonderful! But, I was hoping to take you to Karaoke tonight…"

Jeanne looked away, trying to hide her resentment. Maria was on a Karaoke team with several of her other friends and often dragged Jeanne along with her. She claimed Jeanne had a superior singing voice and that the team did much better when she was around.

But the truth was that she couldn't stand singing in front of a large group of strangers like that. Especially when half of them or more were drunk in various degrees.

"You're not trying to get out of it, are you?"

"No! I am not! I'm spending the weekend with my godbrother Robert and his wife and he's sending someone to pick me up right now!"

Maria grinned.

"Ok, ok! No need to get defensive," She reassured her, "It's cool. So…does that mean he's sending one of his personal chauffeurs? And that you get to stay in his fancy mansion with servants to wait on you hand and foot?"

Jeanne flushed pink and found herself hesitating.

"Well…I…"

She took a deep breath.

"I don't know…but he said he was having someone pick me up because he and Octavia are working late. I assume it's a hired driver…Anyway, I will be at his estate. But…I don't think I'll have servants waiting on me hand and foot…"

"I suppose not," Maria chuckled, "Still…it sounds like a nice way to spend your weekend. And you told me the two of you treat each other like family, right? I think you'll have a great time over there. Have fun."

Jeanne smiled quietly and even let out a laugh.

Meanwhile, Director Blackstone managed to catch up with Lucian on the lower level in the Prehistoric Art exhibit. The blonde clerk saw him coming and gave him a respectful nod.

Mr. Blackstone was a slightly chubby, older gentleman with windswept red hair and dark eyes, wearing a navy blue suit and the same rose pin as others in the museum.

"Director. I'm just about done checking here. I just need to check a few more in the main floor." He looked at the director as he said this.

"Very well, Mr. Townsend. There was nobody on the upper levels last I checked."

"That's very kind of you to help out," Lucian replied as he walked past him.

"It's nothing," The director replied as he hastily made his way back to the main room. Lucian couldn't help but smile at the poor soul. He always went out of his way to help those who worked for him, even if it meant staying late and earning no extra pay.

All that mattered to him, it seemed, was the art and the quality of where he worked, which included the people around him. How his family put up with it was beyond Lucian. But, it wasn't his business to tell his boss how to live his life anyway.

Lucian heard a thumping sound as he made his way up a flight of stairs. It wasn't just the sound of his own two feet. It appeared to be coming from the exhibit immediately to his right and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Ms. Larson was in charge of that gallery, wasn't she?"

He was well aware that whoever it was could have come from somewhere else in the museum, or perhaps it was someone who had become lost.

"I shouldn't blame them, it can be easy to get lost here if you get too distracted," He muttered under his breath, "Still…it would be nice if people hurried up and left before nine like they were supposed to…"

He checked his watch; it was now a quarter past the hour. Lucian strolled into the gallery, which was labeled in black ink, "Art of the Enlightenment."

Like many of the rooms in the museum, a few of the outermost walls were transparent and even the ceiling had a massive glass window, usually letting a small ray of light trickle down to the floor. The other walls in this particular room were painted a soft blue, and there were several benches of the same color throughout the gallery.

"Hello? Is anyone still here?"

At first he heard no answer, but kept walking past several portraits and a statue. He heard the sound of footsteps but couldn't see anyone.

"I'm afraid the museum is closed now. I have come to escort you out!"

Then, he heard a muffled growl coming just up ahead. He saw a dark figure looming in front of one of the paintings, wearing a long black robe. Lucian wasn't quite sure if he was a priest from the local parish or who it was at all. But, he still called to them.

"…Excuse me," He urged them gently, "I'm afraid it's past closing time. May I show you to the exit, sir?"

The figure emitted a faint snarl.

"I beg your pardon? Were you looking for someone?" Lucian asked them, trying his best to look friendly and helpful. The figure turned its head slowly. When Lucian saw a pair of scarlet eyes piercing his soul, he shivered suddenly. He felt fear rising within him.

They don't look human, he thought. The sickly skin…those eyes, they're just not human!

Suddenly, it crouched down, and Lucian turned around, attempting to make a run for it. However, in a split second the creature lunged at him and pushed him to the ground. He cried out for help.

"Please! Somebody! Call the police! Help! Help!"

It was the last thing he said before the creature grasped his neck with its sharp claws. The creature let out a roar that seemed almost as if it was laughing at him. All the while he didn't want to believe this was real, but he had a counter-feeling, a sense that he had run out of time.

…

It was half an hour past nine. Maria was about to leave when Director Blackstone entered with his cellphone in tow.

"Did either one of you see Mr. Townsend leave?"

"No," Maria replied, looking out the windows, "His Chevy is still here."

"I received a call from his wife and she's worried because he hasn't been answering his phone," The Director explained, "He could have it turned off though, I tried to reassure her that everything was alright…"

Maria suddenly raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Director, I've known Lucian ever since I came to work here. He always keeps his phone turned on as soon as nine o'clock rolls around. And he always answers if his wife is calling."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. If you don't mind, I'm willing to go look for him."

"Last I checked…he went to search the eighteenth century art collection here on the main floor a few galleries back."

"I can come…I was the one in charge of those galleries for this month, after all." Jeanne offered. Maria shook her head.

"It's ok, Jeanne. This is probably nothing too major…he could be helping an elderly patron find their way back to the front door for all we know."

Maria was a lot more anxious than she wanted Jeanne to know. He still would have called his wife to tell her he was working a little late. But, she couldn't jump to any wild conclusions. Not now, anyway.

"It might help cover more ground if all three of us searched together, Ms. Devito."

Maria took a deep breath. She couldn't argue with the boss and she could see that he appeared to be just as worried as she was.

"Ok, whatever you think is best, Director."

The three of them left and went in the direction Lucian had walked.

"I'll check the Enlightenment Exhibit." Maria said as they approached the door leading towards the galleries.

"Very well, I will check the area on Colonial America over to the left."

"Jeanne, would you stay here in the English Art rooms? In case Lucian shows up?"

Jeanne nodded.

"Ok."

Maria went into the exhibit, so far seeing no sign of Lucian. The director went his own way, and Jeanne stayed behind. Everything seemed to be in order, but there was a dead silence that somehow made her feel uneasy.

"Lucian? Lucian, are you here?"

"Lucian?"

"Mr. Townsend?"

She could hear the faint calls of Jeanne and the director behind her. It broke the eerie silence and eased her mind for a second or two.

"I'm just a little too on edge." She told herself.

"Lucian! Lucian!"

She finally found herself in the middle of the gallery, with the glass window directly overhead. Maria called for Lucian one last time before she heard a thumping noise.

"Lucian?"

Meanwhile, Jeanne had walked around, and even checked back at the front desk periodically. She checked her watch and it was only a few minutes away from ten o'clock. Director Blackstone came back and met Jeanne in front of the Enlightenment Exhibit.

"He's not there…"

"He didn't come back to this room or the main entrance." Jeanne reported.

"This isn't making any sense. It's not like Mr. Townsend to just disappear."

Suddenly, there came an ear-shattering scream from inside the exhibit.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The director immediately rushed in with Jeanne behind him, frantically trying to find Maria. They yelled for her, all the while running around all over the exhibit.

"Maria!"

"Ms. Devito! Are everything alright? Answer me!"

They heard the sound of Maria's voice, shrieking at the top of her lungs.

"Oh my God!"

Maria screeched at the sight of Lucian's blood pooling on the wooden floor, his lifeless body turned face-down. She heard a low growling and hesitantly turned her gaze upward towards the ceiling.

Two searing, ruby reptilian eyes were fixated on her. The creature gripped onto the glass window with massive, jagged claws, and its skin was a sickly yellowish-grey. Its body resembled a salamander with a long spiraling tail. Its head seemed more like that of a ferocious lion with curling horns on either side of its brow.

"Maria!"

"Ms. Devito!"

Jeanne and the director came racing in, but stopped, paralyzed by the sight of the corpse.

"Mister Director! Jeanne! Don't! You need to get out of here!"

**To Be Continued**

_Author's note: The end of this chapter was included in a preview of this fanfiction, entitled "Devil May Cry Fanfic Preview", available only on Deviantart under the author's DA name, LittleBlackDragon. Some of the details, wording, etc. have been altered or revised._


	4. The Escape

**Chapter Four: The Escape**

The fiendish monster roared as it leapt down from the ceiling at them, shattered glass trailing behind it. Director Blackstone pushed Jeanne out of the way as he was tackled to the ground. The monster glared at both of the women as it pinned him to the floor.

"Dear God! Maria, get help! Call the police, anyone…Just go…NOW!"

"But Director!"

Jeanne pulled on Maria's sleeve.

"We need to go now." She said sternly. The two of them started running in the direction of the main entrance.

"Jeanne…" Maria whimpered.

Suddenly they heard a thundering howl behind them. Maria barely looked back to see the beast coming for them. She could see Director Blackstone shaking as he tried to get to his feet.

The two of them ran for the doors that lead into the next gallery. Maria scrambled for the cellphone in her pocket. Maria and Jeanne each took different directions around an expansive display of an English tapestry.

Jeanne briefly glanced over, recognizing that the monster went around in the same direction as her. Then, in an instant, a thought occurred to her.

"Maria! Get out of here! I'll create a diversion while you escape!"

The two of them met up on the other side and seeing a cart of audio tours to the side, Maria shoved them at the creature, rendering it temporarily distracted.

"Jeanne, what are you thinking?" The two of them continued to run through several more galleries before reaching the lobby.

Jeanne didn't react at first. Then, Maria grabbed her and the two of them halted just a few feet away from the main doors.

"Are you crazy? I can't let you get killed!"

Jeanne exhaled deeply. She was trembling from fear as well, but her eyes were shining with a rare, unwavering determination.

"Maria…if we both go, that…whatever it is…will follow us. It could hurt even more people than just me and Lucian. Besides…"

Maria started tearing.

"You're my best friend…If anything happened to you…"

Maria slapped Jeanne, leaving a red mark on her cheek.

"You're such a dope sometimes!"

Before she could say anything more, the monster came crashing through the wall, sending glass shards in every direction. It bellowed and caused the two women to stumble. Jeanne managed to struggle and free herself from Maria, running towards the stairs.

She threw a potted plant in the direction of the creature. She missed, but it saw her and snarled.

"Hey Ugly!"

It reared up and jumped towards her.

"Come get me!"

Jeanne disappeared up the stairs. Maria tried to chase after her but the hellish beast promptly slapped her with its tail and knocked her onto her back. When she looked up, it was going up the stairs after Jeanne.

"NO!"

She started sobbing as she finally got a hold on her phone and started dialing for the police. As she was pushing the buttons, she heard the subtle rumbling of a car engine approaching the museum from outside. The night sky was thick with dark clouds, rain, and a light fog was gathering along the ground.

"Wait! Stop!"

A man emerged from the car carrying a massive sword on his back.

"Sir! It's not safe here…"

She noticed the weapon.

"Hold on, are you here to stop that thing?"

The mysterious man nodded.

"Guess I'm a little late to the party…"

"Please!" She sobbed, "My friend Jeanne…she's still on there…"

"Well, I'd better go get her then…"

He drew two guns from his trench coat and dashed into the building.

"Oh dear God…what the hell is going on?"

Maria then saw Mr. Blackstone running out of the building and waved to him. The two of them were quickly becoming drenched in the rain.

"Where's Jeanne?" He called.

"She's still in there and that THING is after her!"

Suddenly, an image of the man with the sword flashed across her consciousness and she realized she'd seen him before.

"Wait a second…wasn't that…"

…

Meanwhile, the young woman rushed up the stairs with her pursuer close behind. Jeanne could feel her legs tensing up as if to beg her to stop and rest. But she pushed forward, turning every corner, praying that she could get away. If only she could have a minute, even if it was only to gather herself and try to come up with a plan to either escape or fight back.

Finally, she swung the door open to the sixth floor where the local artists usually had their work on display. Jeanne ran past abstract paintings and sculptures, into the corridor leading to another room which was out of the way.

The sign on the door read, "This room is temporarily unavailable to the public, Employee Access Only."

The moonlit room on the inside was bare save for a couple of empty display cases. Jeanne tried to lock the door behind her, but the attacker burst in, knocking her down. She fell into one of the cases, breaking the glass. Broken shards cut into her back and Jeanne shrieked.

The creature swung at her and she tried to duck. She managed to dodge its grasp, but as it backed her into a corner of the room, she looked down to see it had torn a gash in her lower side. The blood was seeping into her uniform, appearing as a dark stain. Spots also appeared on the back of her shoulders where the glass had scratched her.

She tried to stand up, leaning against the wall for support. The monster howled and for a moment it sounded as if it was speaking her name.

Then, there was another noise which sounded like a laugh.

"So…you…are the sacrifice…I was summoned to obtain for my master…" It panted loudly. Jeanne could feel herself growing weak and her vision blurred. Her glasses slid down her face and fell to the floor.

"You're talking…to…m-me…"

"You're lucky I have to bring you back ALIVE!" Its voice resounded throughout the room, causing the ceiling window and the display cases to shudder.

She slid down the wall onto the floor as the creature reached out to grab her. She closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere was the bang of a gunshot and a loud thud.

"You're not taking her anywhere!"

There was a swishing noise and the sound of liquid spattering against the walls. Jeanne tried to get to her feet again as she opened her eyes.

The creature lay dead. Its ruby eyes had grown a dull grey as it still seemed to be glaring at her with an otherworldly menace.

"Sorry, but she and I already have plans."

She looked up to see who was speaking.

Standing in back of the creature was a tall, wiry man, appearing to be in his mid to late twenties. He was clad in a crimson trench coat, with an ornamented red vest and a black shirt underneath. There were two black bands wrapped around the left leg of his pants and his dark boots came up almost to his knees.  
>In his hand he held a massive blade, with a spiked skull engraved on its handle.<p>

Still trying to lean on the wall for support, Jeanne put one arm on her side where she had been wounded.

The man approached her and offered her his hand as he withdrew his weapon.

"Hey there! I remember you…"

She couldn't help but think she knew him from somewhere, but her vision was still hazy and she started to feel the room swinging back and forth.

"Why don't we get out of here? I'll take you someplace a little nicer."

He noticed her glasses on the floor; one of the lenses was cracked. He gave them to her.

"You shouldn't leave without these…"

She sighed when she felt the crack in the lens and put her glasses in her pocket; she staggered forward. He caught her as she was about to fall over. Jeanne caught a faint glimpse of his angular visage, but as it was common for her, she was forced to avert her gaze.  
>"You really are shy, aren't you?"<p>

His white hair was brushed down and his blue eyes seemed to have a glint of confidence in them. He saw the dark spots on her jacket and his face twisted in an expression of concern. The man lifted up her jacket to reveal the deep red stains in her blouse.

"Shit…"

"I…I need to see a doctor." She tried to walk towards the exit but the room was spinning now.

"You sure do."

Suddenly he lifted her off her feet. Jeanne felt his muscular arms supporting her weight effortlessly.

"Wha…what are you doing?" She protested, trying to push him away.

"It'll be a lot faster this way, trust me. Besides, you need to get to a hospital as soon as possible."

He started walking away, carrying her bridal style in his arms.

"Hold on tight."

She gripped onto his coat with what little strength she could muster and he sprinted down towards the stairs. He kicked the door open to the stairway, swiftly making his way down to the main floor.

"You…Who are you? You said you remembered me…"

The man appeared as if he would laugh.

"You mean you've forgotten me already?"

She didn't answer.

"Well, I certainly haven't forgotten your face. Jeanne Larson, right?"

"Yeah…"

"You live across the street from me."

It was starting to come back to her.

"Your friend at the diner introduced you to me…"

She remembered two weeks ago when Maria took her out after the last day of a special exhibition. A clear picture of a man's face danced across her vision.

"Wait…no…"

Her voice was becoming hollow. She heard the whistling of the wind, the pouring of rain, and a couple of voices and realized they were already outside. But the image in her mind lingered.

"…Dante?"

The demon hunter looked into her face as she drifted out of consciousness.

"Hold on there, babe. I'll get you to a doctor, pronto."

Maria ran to him and looked over at her comatose friend.

"Jeanne. Oh my God! I'll call an ambulance right away!"

She started dialing the number and instantly remembered who he was.

"Hey! You're that guy from Fredi's! Wait…what are you doing here?"

"I was supposed to pick up Ms. Larson this evening…but I guess I got here a little too late. D…"

"Hold on a second, what's with the sword and the pistols?," She cut him off, "Are you some kind of bodyguard? Because you sure as hell don't look like a chauffeur."

She finished dialing and requested an ambulance. She got off the phone and looked at Dante with suspicion. The three of them were already soaked in the downpour.

"Wait…does Robert Cole know about that monster that just attacked us? I bet you know what it is too!"

Dante waited by the front door, still holding Jeanne.

"So talk! What was that thing? A mutant experiment? Some type of alien invader?"

"No…that thing you saw in the museum was a demon. And it was after Jeanne."

The paramedics arrived a few minutes later and Dante was prepared to follow them in his car as they put Jeanne on a stretcher and lifted her into the ambulance.

Maria couldn't believe what had just happened and what she was being told.

"You've got to be kidding me," She shook her head; "This is insane!"

**To Be Continued.**

_Author's note: The majority of this chapter was included in a preview of this fanfiction, entitled "Devil May Cry Fanfic Preview", available only on Deviantart under the author's DA name, LittleBlackDragon. Some of the details, wording, etc. have been altered or revised._


End file.
